Jeff Begley

President of the Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS–CSN)

Jeff Begley is President of the Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS–CSN) since december 6 2012. FSSS–CSN represents more than 130 000 workers in the healthcare and social services throughout Quebec as well as workers from daycare services.

I decided to give you a short list of the Couillard government's extraordinary spending this fall for friends of the Liberal Party. You see, the list speaks for itself and shows how much the austerity we are confronted with varies depending on who's involved.

Martin Coiteux doesn't give the impression he's very interested in negotiating with workers in the public sector. Despite the fact that the Common Front has significantly lowered its demand on pay it seems clear to me that the chair of the Conseil du trésor had already written his speech before he even met with the Common Front.

What's the most upsetting in all this is the speed with which the government invests large amounts in a private company for a high-risk project at the same time as it is loath to invest in public services. Our government of bankers and businessmen should remember that it is responsible for managing for the common good -- period!

I'm going to talk to you about social inequalities. Some might think that this issue isn't important in Québec. Yet the data show a particularly disturbing growth in inequalities. In my opinion, our struggles must converge on the fight against growing social inequalities.

There is growing definite interest in our affiliated unions for debating the use of pressure tactics up to and including a strike. Some unions are further ahead than others in their consideration of this, while others are beginning to give it thought. All this is encouraging, because mobilization is how workers will be able to stop the Liberal bulldozer.

Tax havens are an even greater cause for concern because they are at the root of a vicious circle that results in workers bearing the brunt of the pressure to keep public finances "balanced", while the real sources of wealth escape us. It's no exaggeration to say that without tax havens, there wouldn't be any austerity!

Contrary to what various columnists say, I don't find it surprising that Minister Barrette wanted to cut off debate and push through Bill 10. It's the cornerstone that will make it possible to move ahead with more privatization in health care and social services.

It is also interesting to note that 43 per cent of CEOs, who can afford to pay for their retirement without other contributions, have set up defined benefits pension plans that will provide them $1.9 million <em>every year </em>from the time they turn 65. Less than 11 per cent of the general population has a defined benefits pension plan, in stark contrast with a full 43 per cent of the wealthiest in our society. But the Couillard government is doing absolutely nothing to improve the lot of the 89 per cent who are excluded.

In recent weeks, I explained that the objective of the Couillard government is to make Canadian averages the rule in Québec. To do this, the government is attacking what distinguishes Québec: our collective choice to have social programs that help limit social inequalities.

In last week's blog, I indicated that I would come back to the issue of Canadian averages, which seem to be very important for Premier Couillard. With all its trial balloons, it's clear that the Couillard government is drawing on the Canadian model to dismantle Québec's.

It was obvious to everyone that the Couillard government's proposals will simply make inequalities worse. The government wasn't mandated to dismantle public services. Philippe Couillard didn't get a mandate from the population to do what he's doing. Philippe Couillard is implementing the CAQ's program.

I would like to turn to the organization of support services in the health and social services system. Huge savings could be made in this area. Costs for support services have exploded while total payroll went down. How can these costs be brought under better control?

Drug companies exist for one reason only: to make maximum profits. It's part of their DNA. Between maximum profits and the value of a human life, the drug companies choose maximum profits. Providing drugs to Africans at prices the latter could afford would affect the prices of drugs here in America and especially in Europe, and thus have a major impact on profits.

Scientific and technological developments mean that people with complex health problems are living longer, with a better quality of life. If we want to maintain this quality of life, we have to bank on the contributions and expertise of all our nurses. I can already hear our detractors saying, "You're doing that so as to demand more pay for nurses!"

Citing the alarming state of Québec's public finances, Conseil du trésor chair Martin Coiteux warned that the remuneration of government employees might well be tied to their productivity in the very near future. There's no denying that in terms of public costs, Québec's health-care system has the best performance in the country. So why are workers in the field of health not better paid?

The Quebec Liberal Party finally showed its true colours last week. Once the campaign ended Philippe Couillard wasted little time in commissioning two economists to prepare a remarkable for its pro-austerity slant.

Quebec's new Minister of Health and Social Services, Gaétan Barrette, has longed to take this post for many years. He likely has a clearer vision of the changes he would like to make than the vision espoused by the Liberal Party during the election campaign. There are some projects that are top priority, in my view, because they will help right the ship, change the culture. I list five here.